Yes, I like being alone. I am a hermit type person. I lived with relatives for most of my life, until about 6 & 1/2 years ago. Since then I have lived alone, and it is MUCH better! Even when I lived with relatives, I kept to myself for the most part, by choice. NTs have unrealistic expectations of Aspies. We all drove each other crazy because of that. I do have dim memories of being lonely a lot as a small child. Later, as an older child, it was a milder feeling, accompanied by much frustration. Once I entered my teens, I really didn't feel much loneliness at all, but still felt the frustration of trying to deal with non-Aspies. By that time I had gotten used to being solitary, and found it was better for me that way. I am in my early 50s. Back then Autism and Asperger's Syndrome had not yet been identified, although these conditions did exist. I knew some other kids with similar problems at a special school I went to for a while. People on the spectrum back then were labelled as having emotional or behavior problems, so there weren't any appropriate treatment options available. Everyone just assumed that if I saw enough different psych doctors and therapists, and occasionally went through a course of psych drugs, it would "cure" my "emotional and/or behavior" problems. Several years ago I found out I had Asperger's. It was a relief to find out why I was different. However, knowing that won't make me a social butterfly, or fix my other symptoms, but I'm okay with that. I prefer being a hermit over living with NTs and their unreasonable, and unattainable expectations.
Remember, we on the spectrum are all:
A Different Drummer
If a man does not keep pace with his companions,
Perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music which he hears,
However measured or far away.
--Henry David Thoreau